Five Top Tips for Super Storage

Moving house is a subject that I talk about a lot and there are two reasons for this. One, I really want to move from this horrible rental into a six-bedroom mansion with a swimming pool. Two, my husband is a removal man. And with his help, I have put together some top tips about putting your stuff into storage.

Good quality boxes are a must

Having your stuff in storage is not the time to use rubbish boxes. You don’t need to pay a massive amount for plastic tubs but you will need a good quality cardboard box. Banana boxes are the hubby’s favourite type of boxes to use when moving. Good quality boxes can be picked up from your local shops for free but the best come from shoe shops. No, not the little shoe boxes you get your shoes in, the big boxes that are used for delivery. The best time to get the boxes are at the end of the summer when the store has winter boots being delivered.

Bigger is better

Ok, just hear me out, but getting a bigger storage container is better than a smaller one. How do I know this? This is one from personal experience. A few years, I had to rent a storage container when I was moving between houses. I decided to go for a smaller container because I didn’t think I had that much stuff. Turns out I had loads more than I thought. Cue me trying to cram stuff in and stuff getting broken. Thankfully my hubby can look at a house and size up what sort of container will be needed. But for you, the likes of Shurgard have a calculator to help you pick the best one for you.

Some couples have date nights, we lift sofas

Expensive is not always better

While it might be tempting to go for the more expensive options, they are not always the best. Newspapers are a great way to wrap valuables. And it is possible to get good boxes for free (which I said in my first point). I tend to keep my package materials from any deliveries for my hubby in case a client needs them. No matter what aspect you are looking at (package materials, moving company or the storage company) look for the best quality that you can get for your money.

Access or no access

A lot of people don’t think about this, but do you want access to your stuff? Some places allow 24-hour access to get at your stuff, and some places you can only enter between certain hours. Some even go as far as holding the keys to your storage unit so you can’t get in without a member of staff. Always check with the company that you use when you can access your stuff. The last thing you need is to be trying to be shifting stuff at midnight and you can’t get at your kettle.

Don’t forget about it

Believe it or not, but around a third of the moves my hubby does from storage containers are to remove whats in there because people have forgotten about it. Some people pay for long-term storage (normally upfront) and after 5 years or so, they forget about it. Trying to track these people can be tough and the forgotten stuff has to be removed. It’s sad seeing these containers being emptied, some people have stored part of their life in there.